Mark 4:35-41
“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!””
Mark 4:35-41 NIV
Sometimes we learn something in a storm that we couldn’t learn any other way. The crises of life have often been compared to stormy seas. They come upon us whether we like it or not. They terrify us. They knock us around and threaten to destroy all our stability and security. We don’t know whether we can survive them. And we don’t know how long they will last. At least, that’s how a storm at sea would be for most of us. For Jesus, it was just a chance to grab 40 winks on His “my pillow” if we can imagine that.
Jesus is God. He has power over the wind and the waves and He is in fact God in flesh. By extension, because Jesus is God we can trust Him and choose to live in faith in Him rather than fear, regardless of situations of our lives.
Let’s look at a lesson that might not be so obvious. Storms don’t worry Jesus. He’s right there with us during them, but He’s perfectly calm about them. He isn’t terrified, He isn’t impatient, He isn’t worried. In fact, He’s so calm, He’s asleep. To us, He seems to be asleep at the wrong time. We wonder why on earth He doesn’t get up and do something. We start to wonder whether He even knows the trouble we’re in. Whether He cares. Whether He even can do anything about it. Whether He is really all He is cracked up to be.
Like the disciples, we believe He’s there. In the disciples’ case, they could actually see Him lying there asleep. We don’t have that luxury. We believe He’s there, but most of the time He seems just as asleep as He was during the storm that day on the Sea of Galilee. The psalmist had the same lament in Psalm 44:23-24: “Awake, Lord! Why do You sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do You hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?”
Sometimes when we go through different types of difficulties and trying circumstances like financial troubles, we may express out of our pain, God, please don’t be silent. I’m going through a severe time of difficulty which is too hard to bear. Do you understand what I’m going through? God are you still in control of my life?” We may ask these questions in doubt and pain, but let’s realize how sure and firm is God’s control of our destiny. He is God not man to lose control and be afraid.
So although the timing and the answers God gives to people’s prayers vary due to His plans and purposes, it doesn’t mean that God’s not in control. He works everything perfectly in a way to bring glory to Himself and for our best interests.
What we truly believe in, what is the condition of our faith, all these things get revealed clearly and prominently during a difficult time or a storm in your life. But as we read today, we can absolutely trust God in our difficulties because He is in complete control of our destiny, He is present with us and He is all-powerful.
Partnership with the Prince of Peace, even in the midst of chaos, confusion, destruction, pain and trial, will cause us to walk in and live from a place of rest, authority and confidence even when it doesn’t make sense. This is the peace that surpasses all understanding that Apostle Paul spoke of, and it is your portion.
The storms of life can trouble our souls, but God can reveal more of himself to us through these experiences. In our lives today we need to realize that Jesus the Storm Tamer is in the boat with us. We have no reason to fear the tempests of life that feel so threatening in the moment because He can speak to the storm and it must obey His command!!!
Father thank You for this day and how astonishing it is to realize that Jesus also got tired and would have been overwhelmed by life's circumstances if He had not trusted wholly on You to guide Him to do what was right. Lord pour out Your abundant blessings from the windows of heaven over my friend and family today. Lord You that You gave us the Scriptures to help us understand Who You are and why You came. Lord thank You that You encourage our faith when the storms of life seem overwhelming. Lord help us to remember that no one is beyond redemption by grace through faith in the Person and Work of You. Lord use my friend to be a bold witness of Your Gospel to all today. Daddy we love You amen. Be a blessing. Love ya!!
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